


there's something tragic about you (something so magic about you)

by Pootin



Category: The New Mutants (2020), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Domestic af, Established Relationship, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Retrospective, Romance, mentions of other X-Men characters, proposal, y'all this is so fluffy I can't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26586574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pootin/pseuds/Pootin
Summary: The scar on Rahne’s shoulder faded some time ago, and the one on her neck will too eventually, but the scars on their minds?Those would be with them forever.
Relationships: Danielle Moonstar/Rahne Sinclair
Comments: 20
Kudos: 98





	1. there's something tragic about you (something so magic about you)

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based purely off of the events of the film, as my knowledge of the comics are next to nonexistent (plus it seems this movie doesn’t fit into the timeline and is kind of just doing its own thing).

Some nights Dani wakes up with a jolt, eyes frantically flitting around their dark bedroom as her heart threatens to burst out of her chest in fear, before she realises that she’s safe. She’s in control of her powers now, unlike her fresh sixteen year old self all those years ago. The self that was afraid and lonely, enough so to consider climbing a watch tower, to consider jumping off. 

Now she’s twenty six and a mere decade has felt like multiple lifetimes, but she’ll never forget how Rahne had popped her head out from seemingly nowhere that day. She’ll never forget her hand outstretched towards her, the first of many. She will absolutely _never_ forget the way they’d collapsed into the musty watch tower attic together, and Dani had felt her heart grow fuller with _something_. Amongst all the pain and trauma, she knew she’d found someone good. Someone worth living a little bit longer for.

They were only teenagers, newly discovered mutants unsure of themselves, youngsters still finding out how the world worked. How _they_ worked. Dani and Rahne were sixteen and together, and now they were twenty six and still together. 

There were two certainties in life.

The first being death. 

The second, Dani Moonstar and Rahne Sinclair would be together forever. 

The moment the five young mutants had left their cage, they knew they were alone. They all knew that from then on, they’d only have each other, and it brought them closer than before. With Essex Corp hot on their heels, they’d barely even had any time to gather themselves before going on the run. Friendships that would last for an eternity were forged in blood, sweat and tears, those kinds of experiences tied people together forever. 

All five of them were broken, having experienced more at their young ages than most people would in a lifetime. But together they were able to find the solidarity each of them desperately needed to keep going, even Illyana had stuck around. Dani had half expected the Russian girl to leave them not long after they found the nearest town (which really had been twenty miles away, Reyes had been honest in all the worst ways).

They discovered that they were in the middle of nowhere in the state of Massachusetts, some place near Boston where greenery was aplenty. Each of them were far from home, or whatever _used_ to be considered ‘home’, truthfully they knew none of them really belonged anywhere, for the time being at least. For now, they were each other’s homes, and that was enough. 

They’d stumbled across an advert by chance, or perhaps it had been fate. Either way, it was their ticket out of danger to a safer place. 

**Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters -** **1-800-312-9951**

The journey to Westchester County, New York was strife with anxiety. The knowledge that Essex corp was after them for their powers fueled them with the motivation to keep moving forward. The only saving grace in the whole situation was the fact that they weren’t too far from the school, with enough determination and the kindness of strangers willing to give a ragtag bunch of teens a lift occasionally, they could make it. It would take a few days, but they could do it. They’d already made it this far.

After four days of travelling and foraging for survival, they’d finally made it to the building that promised so much. Promised safety and belonging and maybe even a chance at being normal teenagers. Professor Xavier had accepted them after learning of their situation, and they’d settled in quickly, feeling more and more comfortable with each passing day.

They were finally in a place that felt somewhat like a home. A place where they could be themselves without fear of judgement from others. The gang learned to control their powers, became even closer as a tight knit group and slowly but surely came closer to overcoming the trauma each of them had experienced. Sam and his unceasing guilt. Illyana and her stolen childhood. Roberto and his lost love. Dani and her reservation. Rahne and her existence. 

Many nights were spent in the common room living life as normally as a motley crew of traumatised teenagers could. Lessons were learnt in their time there, and small missions were even carried out occasionally once they’d proven themselves to be a formidable group together. The X-Mansion was a safe haven for them, but they knew that eventually they’d have to leave and face the world. 

But at the very least they had each other.

And that was enough. 

* * *

On Rahne’s twenty first birthday she got a tattoo on her upper bicep, having undone all of the nonsense the reverend had put in her head about body art being a sin. It was a piece dedicated to the love of her life, five wonderful years together had made Dani and Rahne inseparable, their relationship showing no signs of weakening. The tattoo was a stick and poke done by Illyana, who had practiced many times before on Roberto. He was able to remove any traces of ink on his skin by simply lighting up, making his skin the perfect reusable practice canvas.

Sam had let out a low whistle when he saw the finished result, impressed by Illyana’s self-taught skills. “Wow Illy, I just might have to get one from ya too.”

It was a minimalistic piece, the outline of a half crescent moon followed by the Cheyenne tribe's morning star symbol. The lines were perfect and clean, a product of many hours of practice.

“Now _that’s_ some serious body mod.” Dani said jokingly, a callback to less joyful times. They could look back on those memories now, and know they’d never feel that kind of fear as long as they had each other. She placed her hands on the back of Rahne’s chair and looked ahead at the full length mirror in front of them, propped up carefully against the wall.

“You’re stuck with me forever, Danielle Moonstar.” Rahne replied affectionately whilst appreciating her new tattoo in the mirror, she made eye contact with Dani’s reflection and swivelled her head to the side so she could plant a quick kiss on her girlfriend’s lips.

“With a tattoo like that? I sure hope so.” Dani laughed, encircling her arms around Rahne’s shoulders and snuggling into the crook of her neck.

Illyana rolled her eyes and started packing away her makeshift tattoo kit, it was decorated with colourful acrylic pens in her unique style. “Spare me the sappiness.” She groaned, but there was a small smile playing on her lips regardless of how she sounded.

“Oh Illy, when will you ever treat me like that?” Roberto asked dramatically, placing a hand over his heart and falling back dramatically onto the sofa.

Illyana raised an eyebrow and fixed him with an unimpressed look. “When Limbo freezes over.”

Sam burst out into laughter, ignoring the offended look on Roberto’s face. Rahne and Dani joined in on the laughter, trying to hide it a bit better to no avail. Illyana left for her bedroom in their shared apartment with a smug smirk as Roberto and Sam started bickering, Dani watched her friends with a fond smile, turning back to her girlfriend afterwards. Rahne tilted her head back and rested it against Dani’s shoulder, looking into her eyes. They stared at each other for a while, getting caught up in the other’s hypnotising gaze.

“You are mine.” Dani murmured into Rahne’s ear, voice thick with emotion. “And I am yours.”

“Forever?” Rahne asked quietly. Though she already knew the answer. 

Dani gave a small nod. “Until our souls leave our cages. Until the end of time.”

* * *

When they were twenty four, Dani and Rahne moved into a cabin at the edge of the forest. It had been cheap for a reason. Their friends gladly helped them out with fixing up the place, Sam being the most useful with his practical knowledge and skills. Over the course of a few weeks they managed to sort out any issues within the structure of the cabin through a lot of hard work and elbow grease. 

On the final evening of the renovation they gathered around the campfire area they’d built, Roberto easily lighting it with a blast of fire from his hand. They sat on tree stumps that Illyanna had cut with her soulsword, she’d scoffed at the menial task requiring the usage of the powerful weapon, but had done it without complaint. 

The night had gone by in a blur of marshmallows and alcohol as each mutant slowly became the slightest bit more tipsy. By the time Dani’s eyes had shut for good, she could barely even remember the events of the evening.

She opened her eyes the next morning, clutching at her head with a groan as she found herself outside next to the long dead campfire. She could make out Sam’s still fast asleep body, high in the canopy of the trees above her. Rahne was curled up in her wolf form next to her, ears twitching as she felt Dani stand up. Roberto appeared to be covered haphazardly by a towel on the other side of the campfire, the charred remains of his clothes surrounding him. She saw no signs of the Russian woman, but heard her soon enough.

“Finally up, sunshine.” Illyana called out, Dani squinted up at the roof of the cabin, finding the completely unaffected mutant taking a healthy swig out of the nearly empty bottle of vodka in her hand. 

Dani chuckled to herself, then started laughing louder as she surveyed the chaotic scene around her. Their lives were complicated, messy and filled with pain, and yet somehow they were still able to have moments like this. Moments of happiness. She wiped at the tears in the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand, the last bits of her laughter leaving her lips. Rahne stood up and stretched out her aching limbs, having shifted back into her human form at the sound of Dani’s laughter. She looked around and shook her head with an affectionate sigh, Rahne turned her attention back to her girlfriend and planted a kiss on Dani’s cheek before leaving to make breakfast (brunch would probably be more accurate) for them all.

"Mornin' Illy!" Rahne shouted with a wave of her hand, the other woman waved back lazily, the now empty bottle of vodka lay forgotten next to her.

Dani looked up at Illyana on the roof and smiled, the Russian returned the smile after a few seconds, a short laugh slipping past her lips too.

They were gonna be okay. 

* * *

Nightmares were sparse nowadays, but occasionally a particularly bad one would occur. 

Dani’s eyes flew open, she could feel herself trembling slightly, her hands clutching at the bed sheets beneath her. She breathed in deeply, and exhaled slowly through her nose, trying to let the tension leave her body. The early sun shone in through the bedroom window, passing through the light curtains and casting an orange glow over the walls. She focused on her breathing and got her nerves under control. Dani reached under her pillow for her wooden bear pendant, she slowly felt every ridge with the pad of her thumb. It always calmed her down. 

She felt Rahne stir behind her, her arms loosening their grip on Dani’s waist. Dani had grown an inch or so taller since she’d first met the shapeshifter, but Rahne insisted on being the bigger spoon a majority of the time regardless. It didn’t matter though, as they’d usually end up switching positions come morning.

Dani carefully turned herself around on the bed so that she was face to face with her lover, her breathing evening out a little bit better. Rahne placed her arm back around Dani’s waist, blinking away the sleep as she settled back into their embrace. 

“Your dad?” Rahne asked quietly, not needing to say much else. 

Dani shook her head slightly, eyes falling shut as she pushed the intrusive images out of her mind. 

“Reyes?” Rahne asked, even quieter, unable to forget how lifeless Dani had looked on that hospital bed, hooked up on chemicals that brought her on the verge of death. 

Dani took in a shaky breath and opened her eyes. “You.” 

Rahne sighed heavily, no doubt the other woman was referring to the _incident_. 

Dani brought her hands up to cradle the side of Rahne’s face. Thumb rubbing softly over her cheek. She moved her hand to the back of her neck, running her fingers through the tufts of hair there. The shapeshifter liked to keep her hair short, and was in dire need of a haircut soon, though Dani quite liked the almost-mullet look on Rahne.

Her eyes inevitably drifted over to the side of Rahne’s neck, the upside down ‘W’ branded on her neck with scorching hot metal. _I’m sorry._ The words were on the tip of her tongue. Dani was in control now, she knew she’d never hurt Rahne again. She’d gladly put herself in danger first before any harm came to her lover, but the guilt she felt still sat there in the pit of her stomach. _I’m sorry_. Like a single piece of gravel in your shoe, small, but noticeable. _I’m sorry._

“Stop it.” Rahne said gently, as though she was the psychic in the room. “I know what you’re thinking.”

The scar on her neck was beginning to fade and the one on her back was barely even noticeable now. Dani often liked to press kisses against it in the shower, saying it’d help it heal faster, and Rahne certainly wasn’t going to refute those claims.

Dani stroked her thumb over the mark on Rahne’s neck, feeling the uneven skin underneath her touch. In some strange way she could feel the sensation on her own neck, the two were bonded so intensely that they could sometimes hear the other’s thoughts and emotions. She pulled her hand away slowly, moving it down to gently grip Rahne’s waist instead.

“Why don’t you kiss it better?” Rahne asked, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. Dani exhaled shortly out of her nose, finally smiling as she felt the weight of the nightmare lift away, the shift in mood was greatly welcomed.

She leant in slowly and pressed a tentative kiss on Rahne’s neck, lips brushing over the mark. She pressed another, then another until she was sure she’d covered every inch of her girlfriend’s neck with a kiss. She moved onto her face, peppering light kisses everywhere but her lips.

Dani pulled away eventually and propped herself up on her elbow, giggling at the whine Rahne let out. She gently pushed her lover’s shoulder until she was laying on her back, then pushed herself up and settled in between Rahne's legs, leaning down to press a proper kiss on her lips. 

She was proud of how far Rahne had come in her journey to find self-acceptance. Years of self-loathing instilled in her by the reverend had given Rahne the highest level of Catholic guilt imaginable. Just the _thought_ of her being chased out of the village she’d grown up in made Dani unimaginably angry. She pushed those thoughts out of her head, anger at the past was useless. The past couldn’t be changed, and people couldn’t be brought back.

“Dani?” Rahne’s soft voice cut through the noise in her head and grounded her back in reality. Dani looked into her eyes and saw everything Rahne was. Caring, attentive, her other half. 

_Her_ _home_.

“Your eyes.” Dani said slowly, smiling as she saw Rahne’s yellow irises staring back, she didn’t apologise this time round, something she would’ve done a long long time ago. Rahne had finally accepted herself wholly, and knowing this made Dani’s smile grow even wider.

“I love you.” Dani whispered, lips ghosting over Rahne’s the slightest, teasing her. Dani’s eyes fluttered shut as she finally kissed her girlfriend deeply, sighing blissfully into the kiss as she felt Rahne’s fingers creep underneath her shirt, making their way up her back, pulling her closer. Her blunt nails scratched softly over Dani’s shoulder blade, she’d memorised the precise area of skin decorated by a silhouette of a wolf, a tattoo Dani had received on her twenty third birthday.

Dani loved how confident Rahne had become, how she unabashedly desired her and wasn't afraid to show it. She pulled away for a second to pull her shirt off and dove back in immediately afterwards, muttering small _‘I love you’s’_ whenever she could. Even when mouths became too preoccupied to speak, Dani didn’t stop repeating it in her head.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

Rahne just smiled.

_I know._

_I know._

_I know._


	2. i slithered here from Eden (just to sit outside your door)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twelve years together and counting, it’s about time Dani popped the big question, but will she ever get around to it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Head's up: This chapter has some mildly implied sexual content (nothing explicit).

Dani quickly shut the small wooden box in her hands, stuffing it into her side table drawer seconds before Rahne opened the door into their bedroom. She whipped her head around just in time to smile at her lover, the sudden movement making her neck stiffen up. 

“Dani?” Rahne popped her head into the room, noticing the uncomfortable smile on her girlfriend’s face. “You alright?”

“Yeah- yeah I was just looking for my…” Dani’s eyes swept over the bedroom and landed on her wardrobe. “Socks.”

“Your...socks?”

“Uh the- the ones with avocados?”

Rahne gave her a quizzical stare before a look of realisation crossed her face. “Oh, sorry love, I put them in the washin' this mornin'.” 

Dani pretended to look somewhat crestfallen over her avocado socks. “Ah no problem! I’ll grab another pair.”

Rahne shot her a sweet smile. “Okay, don’t take too long though, Sam and Izzy just arrived with their new baby!” The shapeshifter zipped out of the room, the sound of her footsteps fading as she went to greet their guests. 

Dani’s shoulders dropped with a sigh of relief once she knew Rahne couldn’t hear her anymore. She rubbed her nape and got up, realising that she’d been wearing socks the entire time. Thankfully her feet had been hidden by the bed from her girlfriend's point of view. 

It had been twelve years since they’d first met, four years since they’d moved into their cabin together, and two years since Dani had first thought _that_ thought.

_Will you marry me?_

She had no doubts about it, even through the ups and downs their relationship held steadfast like a sturdy ship in a chaotic storm. Their mutant lives were by nature disruptive and traumatic, and yet here they were, still together despite it all. Dani never wanted to go another day without Rahne.

The term ‘girlfriend’ had become somewhat juvenile, and whilst ‘lover’ and ‘partner’ sufficed well enough, ‘wife’ was what Dani really wanted to refer to Rahne by. She ached to say those words, to pull _her_ _wife_ in by the waist and to hear those words back.

She’d been plotting different ways of proposing, whilst ‘extravagant’ wasn’t exactly something Rahne would be impressed by, Dani wanted to make sure it was memorable at the very least. Something special.

Their friends were coming over to the cabin today after they’d finally found a date they could all make. Was Dani planning on proposing? Maybe. But maybe wasn’t good enough. She wanted to be 100% sure that it was the right time for it to happen, and if she wasn’t certain, then it wasn’t happening.

“Hey, Sam! Izzy!” Dani walked down the stairs, greeting the couple with open arms. She wrapped Sam in a tight hug, and placed a welcoming hand on Izzy’s shoulder, knowing the other woman wasn’t as big of a fan of physical contact. The bundle of blankets in Izzy’s arm cooed, and Dani’s smile grew even wider as she looked down to greet baby Josiah.

“Nice to finally meet you, Jo.” She placed her finger under his chin, laughing as he gripped her finger with his tiny baby hand. 

She stepped away to talk to the others, Roberto was sat on the sofa talking animatedly to Doug and Xi’an who were a lot more reserved in their conversation. The new mutants had met the two when they’d arrived at the X-mansion, and they’d all become good friends over the years. Dani went over to apologise for disappearing briefly, but was interrupted before she could do so.

She heard a whooshing sound from behind her and turned around with an exasperated smile, as she’d expected Illyana had arrived with Kitty in tow, her portal closing behind them as they dropped into the living room. 

“You sure know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” Dani said, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes fondly. She walked over to them and pulled them both into a hug, Kitty returning it warmly whilst Illyana pretended to reluctantly hug her back.

“It’s great to see you guys again. Everyone’s already here, I'll go grab some snacks.” Dani let them go talk to the others as she headed to the kitchen, finding Rahne putting together various snacks on a tray.

Dani came up behind her, wrapping her arms around Rahne’s waist and placing a kiss on her cheek. “ _Nemehotatse_.” She whispered into her lover’s ear afterwards, releasing her from her embrace but still staying pressed against her back.

“What’s up with you?” Rahne asked with a chuckle. “You seem...off.”

Dani should’ve known her girlfriend would catch onto her nervous energy, they were basically psychically linked to each other, she was pretty sure they were _soulmates_. It was rare for something to slip by the other.

“Oh, nothing’s up.” Dani hoped it sounded convincing. “Just excited to see everyone again.”

Rahne seemed to accept that explanation and didn’t press any further, though she did shoot her an unsure glance before rotating on the spot to face Dani. Rahne ran her fingers down her girlfriend’s arms until she reached her hands, interlinking them and bringing their conjoined digits up to her lips, placing a kiss on each of Dani’s knuckles.

“Same. It’s been way too long.” Rahne said with a sigh, whilst the two had been leading a relatively calm life (with the occasional mission here and there) their friends had been incredibly busy fighting evil on Earth and whatever other planets were out there. Dani and Rahne hadn’t exactly ‘retired’ from the adventurous life, but they had decided to take a few years out, unlike the others.

Roberto had decided that the crime fighting lifestyle was for him and with his love for the spotlight, he fit right in, as did Illyana with her natural flair for fighting. Sam, who’d always been demure and insecure in himself after the coal mine incident, lended himself easily to helping others. Dani and Rahne’s abilities were sometimes required, and they happily provided backup on missions when needed, they just weren’t actively on duty at all times. When the gang were living together shortly after they’d graduated from Charles Xavier’s school, they’d worked as a team under the moniker ‘The New Mutants’. They weren’t the X-men by any means, but they had their own legacy. 

In short, they were _kinda_ famous.

They’d been a formidable bunch, and sometimes Dani found herselves reminiscing on those days. The hefty paycheck was certainly an attractive part of the job, but all the money in the world (and other worlds) couldn’t beat the last two, mostly ordinary, years she’d spent with Rahne. Most days were uneventful, and depending on the type of person you are, this could be either a negative or a positive thing. For the couple, it was something they craved, a routine, the humdrum life of normalcy (or whatever normalcy was for them).

Dani was pulled out of her thoughts by a kiss, she closed her eyes and leant into it, chasing Rahne’s lips when she pulled away with a shy smile.

“Come on. We need to entertain our guests.” Rahne said, slipping out of Dani’s hold reluctantly. She groaned dramatically, pouting at Rahne who was already making her way out of the kitchen with the tray of snacks.

Dani pulled her phone out and played a song on their bluetooth speaker. Soft, ambient music filled the living room moments later. She gathered up the plastic cups and bottles of alcohol, following her girlfriend. They placed the refreshments on the coffee table as everyone gathered around the middle of the room, pouring each other drinks.

“So Illy, seen any cool dimensions lately?” Roberto asked, flipping off the cap of his beer easily.

“Eh. After the third one they all seem the same.” Illyana responded flippantly, her Russian accent strong as ever. “How about you, hothead, finally found yourself a girlfriend yet?”

“Hey, come on now, you know all the ladies want a piece of _this_.” Roberto scoffed, puffing his chest out slightly.

“Sure ‘Berto, sure.” Sam quipped sarcastically over his drink, prompting a bout of laughter from the group. The afternoon carried on like that, each member of the gang updating the others on their adventures. A large stack of pizzas were ordered at some point because sure, they were adults now, but feeding a large ragtag group like theirs was damn near impossible. Besides, the nostalgic conversations that ensued afterwards of late night drinking and greasy takeaways were full of golden memories.

After cardboard boxes were emptied and stomachs were filled, Rahne announced that the campfire was ready, cheers went around the room as everyone started clearing up to head outside. Dani slipped away upstairs into her and Rahne’s bedroom whilst everyone was distracted, she rifled through her drawer and found the ring box, stuffing it into the inside pocket of her jacket. With a deep breath she calmed her nerves and walked back downstairs just in time to find everyone heading towards the back door. She picked up the various bowls in the kitchen containing the ingredients for the s’mores, balancing them carefully in her arms.

The group funneled out of the back to sit around the campfire area, which had been improved upon greatly since Dani and Rahne moved in. They’d built a large pergola around the campfire pit and decorated it with wisterias, ivys and various other climbing plants. Rahne had strung up some fairy lights that tied off the homely look, making the area glow with what could only be described as a domestic warmth. The light chased away even the cold darkness at the edge of the thick forest that backed their home.

“Wow, you guys have _really_ nailed the cottagecore aesthetic down.” Xi’an complimented, gently examining one of the wisterias.

Rahne’s eyes lit up as she launched into a passionate discussion about cottagecore. Dani rolled her eyes affectionately, having heard enough about the internet subculture from her girlfriend. 

She placed the bowls of marshmallows, chocolate squares and graham crackers down on their wooden, outdoor table. She readied herself with a deep breath, feeling the presence of the ring box in her jacket’s pocket. It wasn’t a big box so it didn’t make a bulge in her clothing, it was sleek and sophisticated and handmade by Dani herself. Her knees suddenly felt weak, not great considering the fact that she’d need them pretty soon.

Dani walked up to Rahne who was adding more logs to the campfire. It was perfect, the atmosphere was calming, and they were surrounded by all of their closest friends. This was the moment she’d been waiting for.

“Rahne.” Dani called out softly, smiling as her girlfriend turned to look at her, the fire casting a soft orange glow over her face. Her hand started making its way inside her jacket, her fingers were trembling slightly.

“Will…” Dani froze.

_No, not like this._

“Will you…” She choked on her words, voice and confidence fading quickly. This didn’t feel...right, and she’d promised to herself that any hints of doubt meant the whole thing was off.

“Will I?” Rahne asked, coaxing out an answer.

“Will you...please get some more dip? We’re out of hummus.” Dani finished, redirecting the question at the last second.

“Aye, of course.” Rahne happily made her way back inside the cabin to grab some more from the kitchen, whilst Dani just groaned to herself. She felt a strong hand pat her on the back several times.

“Better luck next time!” Sam laughed, having witnessed the interaction with Izzy who shook her head firmly. Her expression hardened for a second as she placed her hands on her hips, getting ready to dole out some advice. 

“Listen, Moonstar, don’t sweat it. The more nervous you get, the harder it is to pull off the mission.” Izzy said sternly, speaking entirely in her captain mode. “You’re overthinking it, which can jeopardise the situation.” Dani nodded with a nervous chuckle, the other woman certainly had a strong personality.

Sam nodded along before chipping in with his own piece of advice, “See Dani, when I asked Izzy to marry me, it was a spur a’ the moment decision, ya know? You an' Rahne been makin' googly eyes at each other ever since you first _met_.” He gave her a comforting smile. "You got nothin' to worry 'bout."

“Thanks for the advice.” Dani said, sighing as she saw Rahne return with a bowl of hummus in her hands. She mulled over their words. It’ll happen when it happens. 

* * *

“This is a fancy place, huh?” Rahne remarked, her voice tinged in a hint of nervousness that Dani could detect. 

“Don’t worry, I got us a table at the back, where we can be alone.” Dani whispered, her eyes glinting with excitement and a sly smile on her face. Rahne blushed deeply and stared back at her girlfriend with wide eyes. Dani quickly realised that her words had been taken in another way.

“N-not in that way! I just mean- so you don’t have to worry about other people.” Dani stumbled over her words, feeling her own nerves surface. She’d done a good job of repressing them until now, when Rahne had unravelled something else from within her. She almost felt like her younger self again, flustered by the notions of such things.

She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, though it was difficult to do so as her eyes roved over Rahne’s figure. She wore a simple, but form fitting outfit that made it difficult for Dani to concentrate on the plan. She placed her palm flat against the small of Rahne's back, relishing in the even deeper blush that bloomed across her cheeks as she tried to keep her eyes away from Dani's low cut dress.

They walked into the restaurant, the waiter greeted them with a warm smile, found their reservation and led them to their table. He handed them the menus, recommended a wine and left them to make their decisions.

The ‘ring in the champagne’ ploy had never really appealed to Dani, the ‘ring in the food’ much less so. She was going to pull out the ring in the traditional way, get down on one knee and perhaps leave with a slice of complimentary cake (one could dream). It had been two weeks since that evening Dani had nearly proposed, and she couldn’t wait a day longer.

She reached under the table and placed a comforting hand on Rahne’s knee, hoping to placate her nerves. She quickly surveyed their surroundings, making sure no one would be able to see them, and reached over the table to give her girlfriend a chaste but passionate kiss.

She pulled back with a satisfied smile as Rahne looked visibly calmer, but there was also a fire behind her eyes now. Her hungry gaze sent a shiver down Dani’s spine, feeling very much like a prey in the presence of a predator. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, her mouth suddenly dry as Rahne’s eyes flickered yellow for a second. She removed her hand from under the table, not wanting to give the wrong impression to anyone who might pass by them.

Dani cleared her throat and opened up the menu, "So...what are you gonna get?"

Hours later they landed on their bed in a pile of feverish kisses and impatient hands, eagerly touching each other wherever they could. Thoughts of proposals were long gone as Dani straddled Rahne’s waist, far too caught up in the heat of the moment. 

The ring lay untouched in her handbag, which had been discarded by the front door the moment they'd stepped foot into the cabin. 

Maybe next time. 

* * *

It was a cold winter that year, but the love they’d cultivated in their home kept them warm throughout the harsh weather. Rahne walked in through the front door, stomping the snow off of her boots and shaking any remnants of it off her fur. She carefully placed the stack of chopped wood on the log rack next to the fireplace, morphing back into her human form from her transitional form. She unzipped her thick, winter jacket and hung it up on the coat rack, pulling the sleeves of her jumper down over her hands. A habit she’d never fully gotten rid off.

“Babe?” Dani called from the depths of the kitchen, Rahne appeared seconds later, latching onto Dani’s back and nuzzling into her neck. She inhaled her scent, smelling the coconut shampoo they shared when they showered.

“Oh _spirits!_ ” Dani gasped, wriggling in Rahne’s grasp as she tried to get away from her cold nose. The shapeshifter stopped after she had had her fun, choosing to rest her head on top of Dani’s shoulder instead, watching her make dinner. She sighed into the fabric of the soft sweatshirt Dani wore. 

Dani paused her movements to kiss the tip of Rahne’s nose, smiling at the way her face lit up immediately. She shooed her away to the living room so she could finish clearing up the mess in the kitchen. Rahne insisted on washing the dishes but Dani relented, she left the kitchen eventually and plopped down on the sofa, turning the television on.

Dani could hear Rahne starting the fireplace, the sound of wooden logs being stacked cutting through all the other noise. She glanced outside of the window, catching a glimpse of the grow tunnel covered in inches of snow, they’d have to keep an extra eye on the crops this year. 

She placed the last pot on the dishrack and picked up their plates, heading to the dining table. Rahne switched the TV off and went to grab them drinks from the fridge. They sat down opposite each other, Rahne speaking up occasionally to compliment Dani on her cooking. She reached over to hold Dani’s hand whilst they ate, it was a gesture that had become commonplace, a ritual almost. Physically being able to hold the other kept them both grounded in reality, connected through touch.

After they were finished Rahne insisted on cleaning up, Dani conceded after Rahne distracted her with a kiss, pushing her onto the sofa with a victorious cheer. The psychic sighed and accepted defeat, pulling the knitted blanket that resided on the sofa around her. She picked up the TV remote and flicked through the various stations, settling on a channel that was showing reruns of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’.

Dani heard footsteps descending the stairs and opened up her blanket, stretching her arms out when Rahne appeared, changed into her comfy sweatpants and tshirt. The shapeshifter gladly slipped into Dani’s embrace, leaning into her side as she cocooned the blanket around them. They watched the show, the fireplace crackling softly.

Rahne began braiding small sections of Dani’s hair, leaving it loose once she reached the end. It had become so long now, healthy black hair that reached her waist. She turned her attention back to the TV, watching as Tara and Willow met in a kiss on screen.

Dani felt something itching inside her head, she shuffled backwards and looked down at Rahne. “What’s on your mind?”

Rahne’s chest dipped with a sigh as she let go of Dani’s hair, pushing a strand that had slipped in front of her face back behind her ear.

“I remember, back in the highlands when I was a wee lass, I thought I’d never find love. I used to think, _who’d wanna be with a mutt like me_?” Rahne said quietly, but her voice wasn’t weak. She didn’t believe it anymore.

“And once I’d been admitted into the facility, all thoughts of love were gone. But then you walked into the circle that day. I _felt_ it.” Rahne was murmuring now, her eyes had a faraway look as she recounted that fateful day their paths had crossed. “I knew there was somethin' about you.”

“Everyday we spent together that feelin' got stronger.” Rahne giggled quietly, fiddling with the sleeve of her jumper. “I think, somehow, I knew even back then...” 

Dani watched lovingly, enraptured by Rahne’s voice, she’d felt it too. The red thread of destiny had brought them together, they were meant to meet for a reason. They gazed into each other’s eyes, Dani picked up the remote and switched the TV off, not taking her eyes off of Rahne. She had always been captivated by the way Rahne seemed to look past the surface of her skin and into her soul. She felt so vulnerable, so bare, before her.

“Will you marry me?” Dani whispered, she wasn’t even aware of the fact that those words had slipped past her lips until she heard herself say them. It felt so natural, so right in that moment. It was the moment she’d been waiting for, one in which the question wasn’t planned or expected, it was _instinctive_.

Rahne’s eyes widened briefly as she took in the information, then her face broke out into a wide grin. “Yes. Yes! Of course!”

She pulled Dani into a searing kiss, they lost themselves in it, falling back onto the sofa in a fit of giggles.

“I love you.” Rahne muttered in between kisses, and Dani felt far too lightheaded to form words in her current state, but she knew that Rahne knew (because of course she did).

* * *

They were huddled under several large blankets in front of the fireplace, the cold outside had no way of reaching them, which was good considering their state of severe undress. Rahne lay half on top of Dani, her head cradled under her chin.

“I wanted it to be special.” Dani sighed, running her fingers through Rahne’s red locks. She was still in a daze from the adrenaline of the proposal and the...activities that followed afterwards. “But hey, third time’s the charm I guess."

Rahne looked at her, bemused. “It _was_ special. I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier than I do right now.”

“Really?” Dani asked, slightly astonished. She’d thought that this had been an underwhelming proposal of sorts, they hadn’t done anything different. In fact, they’d spent the night how they usually spend most nights together, curled up under a blanket after dinner in front of the fireplace. 

“Of course, every day I get to be with you is a blessin’.” Rahne said, placing her head back on Dani’s chest, tracing small circles on her girlfri- _fiancee’s_ skin. “There’s nothin' I enjoy more than... _this._ Bein' with you. That’s when I’m happiest.” 

Dani stared up at the ceiling, surprised to find her cheeks wet. She brought up a hand to her eyes and wiped away the stray tears that fell, aware of Rahne’s growing smile against her neck.

“So, when should we start plannin’ the weddin'?” Rahne asked, smile growing at the thought of it.

“Seeing as I’m terrible at planning these kinds of things, I’ll leave it in your capable hands.” Dani replied with a chuckle. “Hell, we might as well elope.”

Rahne sighed contentedly, she’d always imagined she’d have to get married in a church, back when her mindset was so different. “It doesn’t matter what we do, as long as I'm with you.”

Dani pulled back and propped herself up on her elbow, cradling her fiancée’s cheek in her hand. “Rahne Sinclair, I love you.” She whispered. 

Rahne smiled. “Danielle Moonstar, I love you _more_.”

“Oh, so you think you can one up me, huh?” Dani teased, grinning deviously and moving to straddle Rahne, placing kisses down her collarbone.

“I can one up you in everythin', love.” Rahne replied before quickly flipping their positions in a rare moment of boldness. Dani stared up in awe, slightly breathless as she was taken by surprise by the move. 

“Damn, I should propose more often.” She murmured dreamily, hands coming up to caress the back of her lover's head.

“I think once will suffice.” Rahne giggled, lowering herself and pressing her lips to Dani’s.

Just one of the countless kisses they’d share in their life together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the second part to this fic! Sorry it took longer than expected. I did however get into the New Mutants comics (2019) and thought it'd be fun to mention some of the characters in here. This movie kind of kickstarted my long dead interest in comics which I'm grateful for :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading this fic! I have to admit I quite liked the film (though the controversies surrounding it did bother me), I'd been waiting to watch it for two years and it was satisfying to finally see it (in an empty hall no less). I adored the characters (especially the Dani/Rahne relationship!!!) and am pretty disappointed that there will likely be no sequel :( so I'm getting the sadness out with this fic. 
> 
> Every kudos and comments on my fic is greatly appreciated! Let me know what you thought 🥰


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